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(No Model.) -2 SheetsSheet 1.

M. B. MILLER.

FRUIT DRIER.

No. 320,883. PatentedJune 23,1885.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

M. B. MILLER.

FRUIT DRIER.

No. 320,883. Patented June 23-, 1885.

.dttorney UNITED STATES MARTIN B. MILLER, OF MARTINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO SARAH H. MILLER, OF SAME PLACE.

FRUIT-DRIER.

SEECIE'ICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 320,883, dated June 23, 1885.

Applicniion filed February 12.1885. (No model) 2" 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1. lVIARTIN B. MILLER. a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Martinsburg, in the county of Blair, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fruit-Driers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to improvements in fruit-driers of that class adapted to be used in attachment with auxiliary heating means such as cooking-stoves or portable rangesand the object is to construct a drier for attachment to a cooking-stove or portable range and use the heat of the oven of the stove or range for the purpose of drying the articles in the drier.

My invention therefore consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

I have fully illustrated my improvements in the accompanying drawings, to be taken as part of this specification, and wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved device set up in combination with a portable range. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section thereof. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the drier, showing a plan view of the perforated plate. Fig. 4 is a rear view of a stove or range, showing the damper and the end of the pipe projecting from the oven; and Fig. 5 is a side view of the drier attached to the oven-door of a cookstove.

The letter A designates a portable range, and B the oven thereof. -The door a of the oven of the range is provided with a register to regulate the admission of outside air. In the rear wall of the oven and in the outer rear wall of the range is formed an aperture, which registers with the aperture in the oven, and in these is projected and secured a pipe, 0, the outer projecting end of which serves as means for connecting the pipe at the base of the drier. In Fig. 5 I have shown the pipe 0 set in the door of the oven and the drier set with its heat-inducting pipe connected therewith. In the pipe leading from the oven is fitted a register, I), which serves to regulate the admission of heat to the drying-chamber.

The letter D designates the casing of the drier, comprised of the side walls, 0 and-c, end wall, d, top plate, 6, bottom f, and open end provided with doors 9. Suitable means for supporting the casing are fixed to the bottom, and the top plate is provided with a pipehole, to which is fitted a pipe, h, the upper end of which opens into the Stovepipe, substantially as shown. The bottom of the casing has an aperture, to which is arranged a register, 13, which regulates the admission of cold air to the drying-chamber.

The letter E represents the heat-induction opening adapted to connect with the pipe 0, as heretofore stated. This pipe enters the dryingchamber at the base of the casing, in order that the whole of the interior of the drier shall be subjected to the action of the column or current of heat.

Above the heat-inducting aperture is arranged a perforated plate, F, which is secured to one side of the casing, and is made narrower and shorter than the horizontal area of the interior of the casing, so that a current of heated air shall be directed against the side and ends of the casing and throughout the whole of the drying-chamber.

To the sides of the casing are secured a series of shelf-slats, G, having one edge struck at right angles to the walls to receive and sustain the trays. These slats are arranged so that alternate slats, as 1, shall be in contact with the walls of the casing, and intermediate slats, as 2, free therefrom. The lowest slat on that side of the casing opposite to the heatinduction pipe is set with its rear face from the wall of the casing, forming a space between it and the wall, and the next slat above on that side is set with its rear face in contact with the wall of the casing, and this relative alternate arrangement is carried out in succeeding slats of the series. The slats on the opposite side of the casing are arranged and disposed so that the lowest slat shall be in contact with the wall of the casing, and the next above free therefrom. This brings contacting slats and free slats opposite each other, which arrangement serves to carry the current of heated air across under the second tray, thence up through the space between the second slat and the Wall of the casing at the opposite side, thence across between the second and third trays across the chamber, and so on across and between succeeding trays to the top of the chamber, from whence the current is discharged through the pipe into the stove pipe.

The letter H designates the trays, which may be of any suitable material and construction, to hold the articles placed thereon. They may be made of wooden slats arranged with interstices between them, or may be made of sheet metal perforated so as to admit of the passage of air through them to the material. They are arranged upon the flanges of the shelfslats, substantially as shown in the drawings.

I preferably put two doors to the casing, in order that the contents may be examined above or below without detriment to the contents of the unopened part.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The drier A, provided with a heat-induction aperture at its base, a cold-air register in the bottom thereof, and a pipe at the top thereof, and having an interior perforated bottom plate secured to the side of the casing and made shorter and narrower than the horizontal area of the interior of the drying-chamber, the shelfsupports arranged on the sides of the casing with alternate supports in contact therewith, and the intermediate supports set with a space between their backs and the casing, and the trays resting on the flanges of the supports, all arranged and combined substantially as and for the purpose stated.

2. The combination of the even of a cooking stove or range, having a register set in the door of the oven and a pipe leading from the side of the oven and projected through the wall of the stove, with a drier provided with a heatinduction aperture at its base connected to the pipe in the oven of the stove, and an interior bottom plate secured to the side of the casing, said bottom being perforated and made shorter and narrower than the horizontal area of the interior of the drying-chamber, a series ofshelfsupports with shelves arranged thereon, said supports and shelves being disposed to throw the current of heated air back of alternate opposite supports and across the drying-chamber, and an eXit-pipe, substantially as and for the purpose stated.

In witness whereof I have signed my name hereto in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

MARTIN B. MILLER. Attest:

A. G. HEYLMUN, M. J. \VINE. 

